Taking a child on a plane ride can sometimes be a bit of an ordeal. The trick, I have found, is to make sure a child’s mind is occupied during the flight. This is where the “trip toy” comes in.

When I was a child my family went on a lot of trips. While packing up the car for a trip to National Parks or coastal cities were planned yearly there were also trips via flight to such places as Canada and Europe. As a kid, flying in a plane was both a fun and boring experience. On the one hand you knew you were going someplace; on the other hand there was a long flight full of bad food and sitting strapped into uncomfortable chairs.

To fight this boredom, my parents devised a little strategy for me and my brothers: the day before our trip they would take us to a local toy store and make us pick out one toy for our upcoming trip. This would be our “trip toy” and would keep us pacified for the flight. My brothers would usually pick one of the Playmobil toys while I would go for either a workbook or a Barbie.

To their amazement, this would usually work. We would be perfect little angels for our flights. Remembering this, I instituted this idea for my family trips. In fact, I let all my friends in on this practice (they all thanked me for this). If you think about it, while air travel can be stressful for adults, it can be stressful in a totally different way for kids. Keeping a kid sitting in a chair for nine hours straight takes something more than luck, it takes distraction. Movies usually don’t work, nor do books or music. Your kid’s favorite toys, on the other hand, that’s usually the way to go. Throw in the fact that it’s a new toy, the fun should last until at least the flight lands.

Of course there are some rules to remember when letting your kids pick a “trip toy”. First, try to keep the number of removable parts on the toys to a minimum. I once had a parent buy their kid a Lego set to put together on a flight. Umm, guess how that went.

For boys, Playmobil Toys tend to be a good option. Not a lot of removable parts, yet enough variety with each set to keep a child’s attention. There are also a wide variety of Playmobil sets on the market so there will be something for almost every child’s preferences. For the girls in the family, the classic toys apply here. Barbies, My Little Ponies, dolls and other sets also work. If they like Playmobil, they can go for those too.

Of course, this all varies for different children. Personal gaming systems might work for some, coloring books for others, and activity books also work well. Just make sure they have something to keep their attention during flight and you’ll both be happy by the time the wheels touchdown.

Author Kimberly Green always has special kids toys set aside for those long trips!